Holy basil registration will not restrict native varieties - CPRAM

CPRAM, a subsidiary of the Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group), has explained that its registration for the protection of four holy basil strains is related to the use of their leaves in its ready-made food division and that it has no intention of commercialising the seeds.

The company has also stressed that registration of the four strains, known as Kaew Churee 01, 02, 03 and 04, does not mean that other varieties of holy basil cannot be grown, sold or used in food preparation.

It said more than 300 native strains remain available for cultivation and use.

The disclosure of CPRAM’s registrations has sparked widespread public criticism of the company and the Agriculture Ministry.

It has also raised concerns among vegetable sellers and street food vendors that they might no longer be able to sell holy basil leaves or use them to prepare phad bai kraprao, the popular Thai stir-fried holy basil dish.

CPRAM managing director Wisade Wisidwinyoo told a press conference yesterday that registration of the four strains did not mean the company owned all holy basil varieties in Thailand.

The key issue, he said, was the distinction between protection for newly developed plant varieties and the right to grow and commercialise other varieties.

He said the four registered strains resulted from joint research with Kasetsart University’s Kamphaeng Saen campus. The company began developing new holy basil strains more than 10 years ago after recognising that different varieties have distinct flavours, aromas and leaf characteristics that affect the smell and taste of food.

The joint research was conducted in demonstration plantations, and the four strains in question are not the native varieties widely grown by farmers or in home gardens, he said.

“This does not mean that native varieties will become extinct or that farmers will have to grow the company’s new basil strains,” he said.

Developing new plant varieties serves several purposes, including improving produce quality, disease resistance, continuity of supply and suitability for markets and consumer demand, Wisade said.

Commercialisation of new varieties must also take into account growing conditions, production costs and consumer demand.

He said the United States, Japan, China, the Netherlands and other countries had invested heavily in developing new plant varieties to improve the competitiveness of their agricultural products.

Registration of the four holy basil strains was completed in 2024.

Wisade said holy basil grown in the company’s demonstration plantation could be harvested up to 20 times before the plants were ploughed under, compared with only eight or nine harvests for native varieties.

Addressing concerns about cross-pollination and whether it could constitute an infringement of the company’s protected rights, he said pollen from the new strains could mix with pollen from native varieties.

However, he said, cross-pollination was different from growing plants from seeds, and the resulting plants might differ from the original native varieties.

He added that farmers who had concerns about growing the company’s four protected strains should consult the relevant authorities to better understand the scope of the protection.